4 years ago
ROSE HAVEN, Md. (WUSA) - Sergeant Chris Swanson was a young man who dedicated his life to serving others. He was always a leader. At Southern High School, he was captain of the soccer team. In Iraq, he led a squadron.
This was Swanson's third tour in Iraq. He received two purple hearts there. But even his injuries couldn't keep him from his men.
Bringing those men home, however, was the one mission Swanson would not complete. He was killed in an ambush Saturday. The rest of his squadron survived. Emails and phone calls from the soldiers in his squadron are helping this family cope. One wounded friend even called the family from his hospital bed at Walter Reed.
Both of Swanson's parents are in law enforcement. His dad is a 25 year veteran of the Transit Police Agency. His mother works for the FBI.
